HARDWARE
- Interactive whiteboards
- In all of my years of teaching (36) I haven't found anything quite like the interactive Whiteboard. My first experience was in the 4th grade (Casa Grande Elementary School District) almost 8 years ago. As I began to explore its many features, it became a necessary tool for optimum instruction.
- Transferring to a middle school AND a technology/computer Lab setting magnified the necessity of having this type of technology in the classroom. It took me only two weeks of teaching in exhausting circles between my screen and my desktop computer (via the projector) before I "strongly requested" the only device that would facilitate my success in the computer lab would be an interactive whiteboard. I was fortunate to heard that the Media Center had a SMART Board that nobody was using (which is insane) and I presently have it "checked out" to my Lab.
- The well known quote: “A picture is worth a thousand words” is dramatically validated in devices like these. Educationally, these devices expand the available alternatives for making presentations alive and interactive. In a matter of minutes I can present a text, illustrate it with images or video clips and then; ask for interaction from the class...all accomplished with this one piece of hardware (software included).
- These are some of the things that I currently use my whiteboard for:
- Daily Classroom instructions (1st assignment procedure)
- Daily Announcements (MS Office PowerPoint presentation)
- Demonstrate "navigation" as instructions for accessing "menus and applications"
- Accessing the Internet - showing websites, interact with sites that provide game format practice exercises
- Draw and illustrate formulas and concepts
- Present the finished projects of my students
- Interaction between teacher and students on appropriate websites (especially math computation.
- Create new documents, save them to specific folders, update and print them
- For my Gamers Club I have even played Minecraft on it for demonstration purposes.
- These are some of the things that I currently use my whiteboard for:
- LCD Projectors
- Without fail, whenever I take information or material from my computer and present it to the class through the use of a projector it captures their interest and stimulates their thinking! My present projector coupled with my interactive whiteboard has transformed my teaching, instruction, the buy-in of my students and eventually the success in the classroom. When I am modeling a concept or skill to my class using these devices I sense that my students are able to navigate their computer stations with greater accuracy and success. Perhaps one of greatest uses of these devices has been the presentation of images, graphics, videos and movies that I have in my graphic art collections.
- Digital Photography
- During my under-graduate years at Grand Canyon University I acquired minors in Art, Drama, Music and Performance (Voice). I;m sure that my parents must have thought that I was crazy for "changing my major so many times" but I just couldn't decide what I not only had a passion for but that "something" could be a career!
- Yes, I did excel in every one of these interests; but, I needed something to connect them all. I found this in teaching!
- Digital photography (a major past-time and hobby) has provided volumes of resources that I constantly use in my Tech/Computer Lab. Instead of having to get permission to use images from others I can use my own and that makes the projects and assignments more meaningful to me.
- Additionally, I am constantly asking the students to bring in their favorite photos and use those for the presentations and projects that I have assigned.
- An image is the perfect way to enhance almost any subject or topic of study. I am somewhat limited in the applications available in my lab for the students to use but we have been able to do wonders with Microsoft Office - Paint Application.